In celebrating childhood, director George Lucas (1944-) is not the only one with happy memories...

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell (1937-) adored his parents. In his autobiography My American Journey (1995) he wrote, "I was a contented kid, growing up in the warmth and security of the concentric circles my family formed... Family members looked out for, prodded, and propped up each other."

South African political leader Nelson Mandela (1918-) likewise celebrated his youth: "I have the most pleasant recollection about the Transkei of my childhood, where I hunted, played sticks." In the evenings, Mandela listened to his parents' tales of African legends and heroes.

It's no surprise that "the 'Ol' Perfesser" Casey Stengel (1890-1975) was a mischievous child, although he resembled a Bottecelli angel. He loved baseball almost as much as he loved his mother who lavished attention on the precocious Stengel. "My mother always liked everyone in the neighborhood," Stengel recalled. "And they could all come and use our yard."

And President Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) from the small town of Lamar, Missouri, said it best, "I had just about the happiest childhood that could ever be imagined." The no nonsense leader offered the following advice: "I wouldn't think much of a man that tried to deny the people and town where he grew up...You must always keep in mind who you are and where you came from."